English

2-limits and 2-terminal objects are too different

Category Theory 2021-06-08 v2

Abstract

In ordinary category theory, limits are known to be equivalent to terminal objects in the slice category of cones. In this paper, we prove that the 2-categorical analogues of this theorem relating 2-limits and 2-terminal objects in the various choices of slice 2-categories of 2-cones are false. Furthermore we show that, even when weakening the 2-cones to pseudo- or lax-natural transformations, or considering bi-type limits and bi-terminal objects, there is still no such correspondence.

Cite

@article{arxiv.2004.01313,
  title  = {2-limits and 2-terminal objects are too different},
  author = {tslil clingman and Lyne Moser},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2004.01313},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

24 pages, updated introduction, comments welcome

R2 v1 2026-06-23T14:37:33.107Z